[Name of player] needs to go.  [Player] can't [play defense/pitch/hit/is a cancer].

Curse words.

The solution is to [trade for superstar player/trade for DeRo/DFA player/call up random minor leaguer].

[Stats of problem]

[Stats of solution]

[Value of intangibles that solution brings/cost intangibles problem has].

I know some people value [x stat] but really the problem with that is it doesn't take into account [y stat] which is OBVIOUSLY better and [problem player] has a [number representing y stat], which is [below league average/0/terrible for stereotyped position of player].

[Z stat] is also good.  [Solution player] has [z stat] in spades. [I choose to ignore y stat because it doesn't suit my goals or is a small sample size.]

Curse words.

If only [Jim Hendry/Lou/Coaching staff] did [their/his] job[s] we wouldn't be in this mess.

Curse words.

Other incoherent emotional mumbo-jumbo.

I will [stop watching/stop eating/drink more/throw myself off the ledge] if [Hendry/Lou] don't do as my clearly original and insightful post says they should.

Curse words.

Ron Santo for president.

Words to make this fit in as a fanpost because I think my opinion is of more value than the rules of the site.  This is also a new thought nobody has had in the past week so you must all see it. 

Curse words.

To be more convincing, I didn't use paragraphs.

Article

I always liked Marquis.  Thought he handled his role well.  Larger deal incoming?

Here's a brief clip:

The Colorado Rockies and the Chicago Cubs have agreed in principle to a trade that would send righthander Jason Marquis to the Rockies in exchange for reliever Luis Vizcaino, according to the Denver Post

...

Marquis, 30, is scheduled to make $9.875 million next season while Vizcaino will be in the final campaign of a two-year, $8 million pact. According to the report, Chicago will pay $1 million of the money owed to Marquis.

With the addition of instant replay to the game, I got to thinking, what other things could change about baseball to make it better? 

So my question to you all is, what would you change about the game of baseball?  From the simplest rule change to something huge.  I'm just interested in your thoughts.  Some examples include Al's oft mentioned let the batter appeal to first base on a check swing.  Something a bit larger would be adding more to instant replay.  Or even something relating to umpires variant strike zones.  Or the infamous "technical balk" promoted at one time by a poster here.

Please, please, please:  If your answer is "nothing, the game is perfect" please don't post.  I'm interested in changes you'd make.  However, I don't wish to discourage you from arguing that a potential change may go too far or is a bit out of place (eg  "technical balk").

My change: I'd like to see something implemented to standardize the strikezone somewhat.  I hate how one pitch can be a strike and the next pitch, which is identical, is a ball.  I don't know how to implement it though.  I leave that to those of you who are far more informed than I, which is 90% of you.

I haven't been able to watch much of the games lately but when I have turned on WGN I've noticed a couple of disturbing trends.

First, what's with this new logo?  It's ugly and pretty creepy.

Second, why are they giving air times in east/pacific times and no longer central? 

Anybody have any info on this or is it all an attempt to make WGN a more successful national station?  Just like TBS dumped the Braves to become national, is WGN trying to do that? 

No, sir, I don't like it.

The umpire from the Milton Bradley incident has been suspended.  http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3037237

I know Al and others have talked about Umps being or trying to become part of the show (I can't help but think of that ump this past weekend with the highly exaggerated strike call).  

I have several questions.

1.  How often does this sort of suspension for an ump happen?  Are there other ramifications for umpires in their behavior?
   
2.  Should it happen more often?
   
3.  Will this help the complaint of umps trying to be the show?

My first "diary" and it's more of a question for those more knowledgeable than I.

Does anybody have any updates on Mark Prior?  Or links as to where to find information about him?  I'm just curious as to how he's doing.

I like to think someday he'll come back and be effective.  If it's not as a Cub, I'd still watch him.